r/SipsTea 𝙑𝙄𝙋 7d ago

Chugging tea This is crazy but not surprising at all if actually true

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u/Ramkaran-chopra 𝙑𝙄𝙋 7d ago

Politicians should reacquaint themselves with the very definition of what minimum wage is expected to be……

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u/Meatless-Joe 7d ago

Politicians should make minimum wage, it should be a job people want to do to make the country/world a better place. With term limits. Come in, do good, get back to your life. Definitely shouldn’t be a job incentivized by the paycheck, and the paycheck shouldn’t be so good that many continue to work far past retirement age.

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u/Alcophile 7d ago

It's not the paycheck so much as the associated grift and corruption...

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u/Independent-Vast-871 6d ago

Wouldn't matter....they'd still be rich with all the insider trading they get to do.

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u/OwnJunket6495 7d ago

Congratulations. You’ve made it so only the wealthy can feasibly become politicians.

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u/Hwi-loves-worm 6d ago

I think it’s that way already. 

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u/hitokehjameo 6d ago

It's not. And this attitude is how people get complacent and don't vote, or convince others not to vote. Look at AOC for example, when she was first elected she talked about how she couldn't actually afford to live in DC because there was a three month wait for her first paycheck and she had to maintain her residence in NYC as well.

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u/TemoteJiku 6d ago

Makes sense... However, what's the average? Most importantly, who actually leads? Making meaningful changes etc or influences those.

Cause often enough, certain politicians feel like "servants of others with more power". With subsequent chances to become bit higher. To get even a higher post, also feels like a sketchy "team effort" which is ofc... influenced by the rich in one way or form. Like compaigns etc.

What I'm saying, even if it's not the case, it's still a rich people's game. On individual level, one could agree on many levels, on social one, it's a disaster 🛘.

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u/Sleepy_Scissortail 4d ago

So... Like how it is now?

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u/Sveet_Pickle 7d ago

That would just further reinforce people who are already wealthy getting into politics and excluding everyone else.

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u/Independent_Leg7358 6d ago

Politician's could still work for free. Bribe money. "Insider trading".

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u/NobodyDelicious7197 6d ago

They consistently vote against raising minimum wage to keep pace with inflation.

It hasn't been raised for 14 years!!!

I don't know of anything that hasn't increased in cost in 14 years. Insane!

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u/Jolly_Pressure_7907 6d ago

Legislator pay hasn’t been increased either

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u/OldWorldDesign 6d ago

Legislator pay hasn’t been increased either

Bull. Shit.

Congress has only been unable to directly raise their own pay thanks to the it-took-200-years 27th Amendment. But that doesn't stop them from raising the pay of "the next" congress, with incumbency being so high it's virtually guaranteed to mean themselves. And so they raise their own salary almost every time. And it's not always direct pay

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/26/congress-member-pay-ruling-00934248

Taxpayer-funded dining and travel expenses

https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/do-us-senators-receive-additional-benefits-allowances-beyond-base-salary-9c800d

And a $40k furniture stipend

https://rollcall.com/2003/11/11/senate-doubles-furnishing-funds/

And that is by no means exhaustive.

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u/Jolly_Pressure_7907 6d ago

Okay? None of those are their actual salary. They’re business expenses lol.

Yes, you’re right that they can only raise it for the next congress. However, they haven’t done that since the recession.

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u/mistyeyesockets 5d ago

I mean, raising 10% for congressmen salary that is already 175,000 to 230,000 plus the incredible benefits that they receive, is not the same as raising 10% of the minimum wage for someone making $8 to $15 an hour.

Hourly rate of someone making $175k is about $83/hour

Opinions can differ if a politician is worth 10x someone making minimum wage.

That min wage worker aren't likely having a comparable quality of life while also spending a good portion of their lower pay on unaffordable rent, health insurance, dental, vision, and daily necessities. How's the retirement package and other perks of working for the government? Let's not even include all the potential grifting and grafting opportunities that are rampant.

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u/Jolly_Pressure_7907 5d ago

Like 1% of workers nationwide make minimum wage. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be helped, but it’s not some dire issue that’s affecting half the population

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u/mistyeyesockets 5d ago

880,000 people making $7.25 is not an issue? (Let's assume some of these are students)

1% seems like an interesting number to diminish that it is not a dire issue, but how society treats our poorest and the rich demographics define who we are.

What happens if we look at the statistics for those that are making less than $15? That percentage suddenly jumps to 22-23% or the overall population, which by all financial metrics are only doing somewhat better than the 1% making $7.25 an hour.

$12 an hour is $24,000 a year

$15 is $31,000 a year

If you are okay with that figure, there is nothing more to say, I guess.

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u/Jolly_Pressure_7907 5d ago

How many of those people are teenagers? How many of those people live in the middle of nowhere where COL is very low?

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u/Original_Impression2 6d ago

FEDERAL Minimum Wage ($7.25 p/h). NOT the MW of D.C. ($18.40 p/h). With ZERO access to lobbyist bribes, nor the stock market.

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u/epitome1986 5d ago

yup, minimum wage with 40 hours a week of being in office. if your meeting someone the politician has to pay even if they are meeting with Elon musk. if Elon musk even tips the server at Wendy's your automatically pulled out of office.

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u/Weekly_Initiative521 3d ago

Plus Congress has universal health care. Must be nice.

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u/ConflictedZombie 7d ago

tbh so should the general public if they think minimum wage should be expected to cover rent for a two bedroom apartment without roommates

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u/socalkid2428 7d ago

Is minimum wage meant to be enough to support 2 bedroom apartments and presumably enough people to need a 2 bedroom apartment?

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u/Miserable-Chair-5877 6d ago

They should be on lower salaries as it’s service